KERALA: Former Inspector-General of Police K Lakshmana, who was convicted by a CBI court for the murder of Naxalite leader A Varghese 40 years ago, was sentenced to life term. The prosecution had sought death penalty for 74-year-old Lakshmana claiming that it was a very rare case of the police shooting a person dead in custody.
The judge also directed Lakshmana to pay a fine of Rs 10,000, to be given to the family of Varghese.
Earlier, public prosecutor, Vaikom Purshothamana Nair, urged the court to give the accused the maximum punishment of death penalty as this was the "rarest of rare case" as a common man was branded as Naxalite, taken to Thirunelly forests and shot dead in cold blood with his hands tied.
The case was earlier closed by the local police as a case of death in police encounter. Subsequently, in 1998 a constable claimed that he had shot dead Varghese in police custody under the orders of his superior officers.
Kerala high court then directed CBI to investigate the matter. Accordingly the case was registered on March 31, 999 and investigation taken up after 29 years of the incident.
During the investigation, most of the documents including the police records such as FIR, Post Mortem Report and Final Reports could not be recovered. However, the extensive investigation of CBI revealed that Varghese was killed in the police custody by said constable on the orders of the then Dy. SP and the then DIG, Calicut.
Accordingly, a charge sheet was filed in the court on December 16, 2002 against the then DIG, Calicut (later DGP, Kerala), the then Dy SP (later IGP) and the constable. All of them had retired from the service by then.
The accused agitated the matter on number of occasions before the High Court and he Supreme Court praying for their discharge but their prayers were dismissed.
During the course of trial accused constable expired in November, 2006. - by Rajesh Gaur(ANI)
4 comments:
This is cold blooded murder. The cop should have been hanged as this case comes under the ambit of the 'rarest of rare' and deserves the capital punishment... in this case the death penalty.
The Naxalites are fighting for the rights of the downtrodden and social injustice which is prevailing in most parts of rural India.
One only has to travel through the interiors of rural Indian states of Orissa, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh to see for themselves how the poor people are living in conditions unfit for human survival.
The feudal system is very much evident in these parts of India. The low castes are ostracised, their women raped and their men are forced to work as bonded labourers.
India prides iteself as an economic power, but it has done very little to uplift the poor and the downtrodden.
In Goa too we are now witnessing the growth of fiefdoms and feudalistic tendencies in the form of our illiterate-goonda politicians. Look at the Ranes, Alemaos, Mickkey Mouse, Madkaikar, Agnelo Fernandes, Mauvin Godinho,Digambar Kamat, Ravi Naik,... all of them act as if they are a law unto themselves. They treat the people of their constituences like their slaves and servants who can be used, abused and raped for a price of a few thousands and a government job.
I also blame our own Goan people who are becoming spineless and don't stand up for their right.
Let me tell our poor Goan brothers and sisters, don't sell your dignity and your rights for a few notes of hundred rupees. Stand up and fight for your rights.
Viva Goa, Goa For Goans
"Truth by its very nature does not yield to be kept hidden for ever. Truth which has been hither to hidden as covered by the glitter of golden plate, has by now, though belatedly, been discovered. Truth triumphs; Truth alone," The judge observed (ET).
Truth came too late. This guy enjoyed another 40 years of his life. How many more years will he live to serve the life sentence. Our Goan criminals who are acquited now may be sentenced after another 30-40 years. By that time, if we don't fight these corrupt monkeys now, they will have looted Goa to shreds.
when the police officials are convicted for annihilating the criminals and murderers- they will definitely get demoralized!
Is 40 years period for justified?
Post a Comment